KAIMATA FATALITY

Grey River Argus, 8 December 1931, Page 6

KAIMATA FATALITY

Inquest On Lancelot Craig TRIBUTE TO WORKMATE. An inquest yesterday lie.d iLucKbuui as to tne deaui ox Lancelot Craig, carpenter oi BlacKoaii, who, on oaturday aiternouu lust, lost/ ins me ihrvugh lalLiug into me Aiuoid River infui a temporary bridge, wnich uu was spanning near the darn, for the contractors lor the hydro installation of th e Grey Rawer Board at Kulmain. Mr D. Me Vicar, J.P., acted a.- Coiou er and the jury consisted of Messrs A. Bobensi-ui (Foreman), G. Cruse, J. Stenhouse and A. McLuskie. Con stable J. Bogers of Brunnerton, conducted the police proceedings. Robert Filth, foreman of works, said he was working along with deceased, on 'Saturday afternoon regaining a temporary bridge across the Arnollid Biver, at the dam, that had recently been damaged Dy flood. T'hey were removing a tram line from the bridge. In so dofmg scfmc sleepers became loose and deceased stepped ou the end of one of them and fell into the river. Ln an Instant or two he was carried downstream, about 200 yards. On one uir two occasions the deceased got on his feet and the last time a wave struck him un his side and he was thrown forward, apparently against a boulder or a snag in the river. The deceased wa s shot out of th|e water by the force of the impact and then disappeared. That was the last seen of him. The spott where the deceased fell in, witness described as a raging torrent, the river being a of white ln nis opinion it would have been impossible t 0 have used a lifeboat for rescue purposes, and lit would hiave also bee n impossible to throw a man a lifeline be- ' cause of the great rush of the water. Anthony Moore, who was also present on the job, had undressed and swam in after deceased, making every effort tol rescue him, but was unsuccessful.

Anthony Moore, another workman. gav e corroborative evidence. Constable Rogers, said he was one oif the party, who searcued th river and was! also present when the body was recovered on Sunday afternoon. : There was a discolouration showing above the right eye of deceased, whilst the eyelid was torn, indicating that deceased had struck something very Lard in the water, such as a boulder or a snag.

At the request of the Acting-Cor-oner, the police called Dr. F. O. Bennett of Blackball, who had examined th c body when it reached Blackball. He stated that, he examined the body of deceased, and had found several small bruises on. t'Lte body. He had found th e right eye was lacerated, and t'h.e skull in thc region o|f the right eye was fractured and concussion had been caused, which, in his opinion, wa s the cause of death. Iu reply to .Constable Rogers, witness stated that the injuries sustained by deceased were sufficient t° have caused death, and he did not think deceased would ever have recovered from the injuries, even if they had been received on dry land. Ou behalf of the police, Constable Rogers expressed appreciation of thegreat efforts* and heroism shown by Mr Mobjre. The constable stated that, knowing the river so well as he (thc constable), did, it was only a man with gre’at courage, who would venture his life in such turbid waters in an attempt to rescue deceased.

After n sQiort retirement the jury returned the following verdjiet: “That the deceased, Lancelot. Hamilton Craig, met his death accidentally, whilst working as a carpenter on the hydro* electric at Kaimata. for Sparks Ltd., through slipping into the river, and later striking his head on a jagged piece of rock.” A rider was added to the verdict commending the Ineroic action of Mr Anthony Moore ,who gallantly risked his own lif e in a valiant attempt to* save his workmate.